Galway’s returned emigrants offered state support for entrepreneurs

A call has gone out this week for returned emigrants to Galway – home to start or develop new enterprises – to join the latest cycle of the highly-successful Back for Business developmental programme.

The call came from local TD and Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development Ciarán Cannon.

He was launching the third year of Back for Business, is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The initiative was established to support entrepreneurial activity among returned emigrants who have lived abroad for at least a year and have returned in the last three years. Those planning to return in the near future will also be considered.

Last year, the 38 participants on the second year of the programme reported positive results.

Turnover for all participants combined increased by over 70% during the six months of the programme to a total of €1.3m.

A total of 48 new jobs were created by the participants who now employ 89 people between them – and 92% said they felt nearer to achieving their ambitions having participated.

Among those satisfied participants was Galway business woman Teresa Roche of Kylemore Farmhouse Cheese.

“It’s an exciting time to be back in Ireland and I was delighted to have been part of the Back for Business cohort. It’s an extremely useful initiative for all returning emigrants,” she said.

Minister Cannon said that Global Irish, Ireland’s Diaspora Policy supported the successful return to Ireland of our Diaspora – and that Back for Business was a practical measure to implement this commitment.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app

The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.